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A nurse is delegating care of a patient to the CNA and an LPN. Which task assignment indicates that the nurse needs additional education about delegation?

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Final answer:

An inappropriate task delegation would involve a nurse assigning a CNA or LPN to perform tasks that require direct supervision of a registered nurse or exceed their scope of practice, such as initiating dialysis treatments or assessing complex patient responses.

Step-by-step explanation:

The task assignment that indicates the nurse needs additional education about delegation would most likely involve assigning the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to perform tasks that require the direct supervision of a registered nurse (RN) or are outside of their scope of practice. For example, if the nurse delegated the responsibility of initiating dialysis treatments, assessing patient response during treatment, or managing complex equipment that requires detailed knowledge and critical decision-making, this would be inappropriate. CNAs and LPNs have a limited scope of practice and should be assigned tasks that reflect their qualifications and training, such as taking and reporting a patient's vital signs or preparing solutions and equipment under supervision.

Examples of Appropriate Delegation

Nurse reviews items aloud with the team, including needle, sponge, and instrument counts, which can be verified by the CNA, provided the procedure does not require professional judgment.

Confirming that a specimen is correctly labeled, which can be done by a CNA or LPN under the RN's supervision.

In contrast, complex patient assessments and the monitoring of a dialysis process, which may involve responding to changes in the patient's condition, should remain the responsibility of the RN or within the scope of the LPN's training and state regulations, and not be delegated to a CNA.

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